Electrical starting device.



J. L. SGHUREMAN.

ELECTRICAL STARTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 190B. RENEWED 811F124, 1909.

1,030,435. v Patented June 25, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

= "14"" I q cllllg l lllllllll gzvw Jazwzzuzzmm.

Pu conwAsmNu'roh n c -J. L. SGHUREMAN. ELECTRICAL STARTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.21, 190a. RENEWED sEPT. 24, 1909.

1,030,435, Patented June25, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- J4 I J 54 favewx Z606 JCAarema/zn Cir UNITED STATES T OFFTQE,

JACOB L. SCI-IUREMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO J. L. SCI-IUREMAN 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICAL STARTING DEVICE.

Application filed. August 21, 1908, Serial No. 449,580.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1912. Renewed September 24, 1909. Serial No. 519,410.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, J noon L. SGHUREMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and'useful Improvement in Electrical Starting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to improvements in devices for controlling the flow of current from a main line through a circuit to be supplied, including a resistance, such as an electric motor or other electrical device or apparatus, in a manner to cause the current from the main line to be fed gradually to the circuit to be supplied through the interposition of resistances adapted to be out out, to prevent overloading the circuit to be supplied including the resistances above stated.

My object is to provide novel and simple means for actuating the switches in succession to successively cut out the resistance, which shall produce this action with positiveness and in a reliable manner.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of an electrical starting device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken at the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a section taken at the line 3 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow, the mechanism below the rollers for the slide-bar being omitted; and Fig. 4, a view like that of Fig. 3 showing the parts in the positions they assume when all of the switches are closed.

The support for the operative parts of the device illustrated comprises a supporting plate or board 5 of insulating material, preferably adapted to be supported in vertical position by bolts 6 passing through openings therein and into the support upon which it is desired that the plate be mounted. Secured to the plate on its front side are a series of switches 7 and 8, shown as two in number, for controlling two resistancegroups, (not shown) though it will be understood that any desirable number of switches may be employed depending upon the number of resistancegroups to be controlled. These switches may be of any suitable construction, those illustrated each including a bracket 9 having spaced arms 10, secured to the plate 5, as by a bolt 11; an arm 12 in the nature of a bell-crank lever fulcrumed at its angle, as indicated at 13, to the arms of the bracket 9; a pair of carbon electrodes 14 sliding in the slotted outer end-portion of the arm 12 and each yieldingly pressed rearwardly by a spring 15; a link-section l6 pivoted at its upper end as indicated at 17 to the short arm 18 of the bell-crank lever 12; and a toggle lever 19 fulcrumed between its ends as indicated at 20 in a bifurcated bracket 21 secured to the plate 5 as by a bolt 22, the lever 19 being bifurcated at its outer end, as represented at 23, at which portion it is pivotally connected with the lower end of the link 16, and carrying at its inner end a roller 24.

Secured to the front side of the plate 5 are contacts 25, 26, 27 and 28 which are arranged in two horizontal series, as represented, to be engaged by the respective pairs of electrodes of the switches 7 and 8, it being designed that these contacts be connected with binding-posts, not shown.

The switches 7 and 8, by reason of the manner of mount-ing them as described, tend to drop by gravity to a position in which they are out of engagement with the contacts to 28 inclusive, the normal posi tion of the parts of the apparatus therefore being that in which the switches are open, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The switches are operated in succession to successively cut out the resistance-groups controlled thereby through the medium of a sliding bar 29 adapted to be moved transversely of the switches and engage with them in the fol lowing manner. The bar 29 is of rectangular shape in cross-section and is confined near its opposite ends between two sets of rollers 30 and 31, the rollers of each set having grooved peripheries 32 between the flanges of which the bar 29 is confined to be moved back and forth as described. This bar is so located on the plate 5 as to cause the rollers 24 of the switches 7 and 8 to bear against its under side, at which the bar contains cut-out portions or recesses 33 and 34 into which both rollers extend when the bar is in normal position, thereby permitting the switches to drop by gravity to open condition in which they are separated from the opposed contacts. The recess 33 has its bottom inclined as represented at 35, to form a cam surface, and the recess likewise has an inclined surface 36 forming a cam, the cam surface 36 being located at a greater distance from the roller 24 of the switch 8 than the cam surface 35 is located from the roller 24 of the switch 7. Thus when the bar 29 is moved to the right in Fig. 1, the cam surface 35 engages the adjacent roller 24 with the result of rocking the lever 19 upon its fulcrum, thereby moving the electrodes 14 into engagement with the opposed contacts 25 and 26. Further movement of the bar 29 to the right causes the cam surface 36 to engage with the adjacent roller 24 with the result of moving the electrodes of the switch 8 into engagement with the contacts 27 and 28, as described of the switch 7. It is thus inanifest that when the bar 29 is moved to oper ate the switches as described, the effect is to cause the switch 7 to close first and the switch 8 second, thereby causing successive operation of these switches. It will of course be understood that the switches 7 and 8 after the completion of the movement of the bar 29 as" described, remain closed until the bar has been returned to the normal position illustrated in Fig. 1.

Any desirable means for moving the bar 29 to close the switches may be employed, those shown being of the preferred form when it is desired to actuate the bar 29 by electrical means. In the construction illustrated, I employ a solenoid comprising a coil 37 and a core 38, a depending rod 39 connected at its upper end to the core 38 and working at its lower end in the dashpot 40, in a well known manner and for the usual purpose, a depending pitman 41 pivotally connected at its upper end to the core, as indicated at 42, and journaled at its lower end to the wrist-pin 43 of a crank 44 journaled on a stud 45 projecting from the plate 5. The crank 44 carries a segmental gear 46 which engages with a straight rack 47 provided on the upper side of the bar 29. The pitman 41 of the apparatus in its normal condition inclines slightly at its lower end from right to left in Fig. 1, and the crank at its lower end inclines slightly to the right of the vertical plane, as represented in Fig. 1, whereby when the coil 37 is energized, the pitman 41 will turn the crank 44 to move the bar to the right in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that when the current through the solenoid is interrupted, the core 38 will be free to descend, whereupon the gravity exerted against it and the depending parts connected thereto will cause the crank 44 to be returned to normal position, during which operation the bar 29 through its rack-connection therewith is also returned to normal position and the switches are then free to fall out by gravity.

It will be understood that any desirable number of switches controlling resistances may be employed. Where the number to be used exceeds the number illustrated in the drawings, the bar.29 will be provided with a corresponding number of cam surfaces so disposed thereon as to produce successive operation of the switches, as described of the construction illustrated.

My improved switch-operating means, as described, may be used in connection with a main line double-pole switch, for operating the same to close it. In its use in connection with a main line switch, the bar 29 has its recesses 33 and 34 so formed therein as to cause both of the switch arms of the main line switch to be operated at the same time, instead of successively, as described of the starting-device illustrated.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a switch adapted to be interposed in an electrical circuit, a sliding member, means on the sliding member for operating the switch, a solenoid, a rack on the sliding member, a pinion engaging with the rack, and a crank connection between said solenoid and pinion, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a series of switches, a sliding member, means on the sliding member for operating the switches in succession, a solenoid, a rack on the sliding member, a pinion engaging with the rack, and a crankconnection between said solenoid and pinion, for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination, a movable switch-member, a toggle-operating lever therefor, and a sliding member having an inclined portion for engaging and actuating said togglelever to operate said switch-member.

4. In combination, a movable switch-member, a toggle-operating lever therefor having a roller thereon, and a sliding member having an inclined portion for engaging said roller to actuate said toggle-lever.

5. In combination, a pivoted switch, a toggle-operating lever therefor having a roller thereon, a sliding member having an inclined portion for engaging said roller to actuate said toggle-lever to close said switch, and an electromagnet for operating said sliding member.

6. In combination, a plurality of pivoted switches, a. toggle-operating lever for each switch, and a sliding member arranged to actuate said toggle-levers to close said switches.

7. In combination, a plurality of pivoted switches, a toggle-operating lever for each switch, a sliding member for successively actuating said toggle-levers to successively close said switches, and an electromagnet for operating said sliding member.

8. In combination, a plurality of pivoted switches, a toggle-operating lever for each switch, a roller on each of said toggle-levers, a sliding member for engaging said rollers to actuate said levers to close said switches, a rack on said sliding member, a pinion ar ranged to cooperate with said rack to operate said sliding member, and an electromagnet for revolving said pinion.

9. In combination, a pivoted switch mounted in a vertical position, a sliding operating member therefor movable transversely thereof, a vertically disposed solenoid, and means operated by said solenoid for actuating said sliding member.

10. In combination, a plurality of pivoted swltches arranged vertlcally, a sliding bar havin aortions arran 'ed to en 'a 'e said O 1 C O b switches to close the same, said bar being 1 movable transversely of said switches, a vertically disposed solenoid, and means operated by said solenoid for moving said bar.

JACOB L. SCHUREMAN. In presence of R. A. SGHAEFER, W. T. J ONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

